Ep. 32 Premium - Walking Through Tokyo [AUDIO]
Added 2025-11-17 19:15:03 +0000 UTCRecorded on: November 11th, 2025
We're here in Dresden
Epstein Emails Discussion
Takaichi Promises to Defend Taiwan
Isn't that Fraud? - Fireflies note taking app
If you could instantly get 10,000 hours in a skill...What it takes to learn a language?
The importance of where you live
Does the internet degrade community?
Live Translate Technology
Formation of Community
Comments
As someone with maybe 10,000 hrs of volleyball I still look like a baby giraffe playing basketball
Carlo
2026-01-04 22:37:25 +0000 UTCLanguage and piano really are the best answers
Galactea
2025-11-23 00:29:21 +0000 UTCHey guys! I enjoyed this different format. It was a little awkward in the beginning, but you seemed to find the rhythm. I couldn't help commenting on this episode since you dove into a topic I spend 10+ hours/day thinking about since I work in language learning and with language learning methodology. The conversation about "depth" of language learning vs other skills was really interesting. I'd never thought about it that way before, but I think you're both right. It's not that learning a language is any deeper than playing basketball, but the average skill level of others you might encounter is so different in both. If you're just picking up basketball, you can find a bunch of other schmucks to play with and learning a single post move might actually have a good effect on your game. But with languages, the other players are all at the level of the NBA. Native speakers can vary in their ability, but they've all put in 10s of thousands of hours, gone to school, experienced every month of their lives in that language, etc. Trying to jump into a conversation with natives would be like a 9 year old trying to play pick up games with actual NBA players. Our estimates for how long it takes to learn a language (based on experience + the Foreign Service Institute's guesses) are ~2500 hours for "functional fluency" in Japanese (and lower for more closely related languages). So it wasn't a surprise to me that Doug is feeling the struggle at 250 hours (but great job! Keep it up! I know it feels like you're terrible, but it does get better, I promise). Lots of language learning marketing has tried to push the narrative that you can do it in 15 minutes/day, a few classes a week, all with our fun app! But the reality is much closer to what Aiden said. I disagree (with what it sounded like you said) that you need to go full degen and spend 8+ hours a day, but you're absolutely right that you won't make progress with a few random hours/week. 1-2 focused hours per day will make you feel a ton of progress. I do this basically all day every day, so if any of you have questions or want tips for your learning, I'd be more than happy to give back. I certainly get more enjoyment from this podcast than just $5/month. Keep up the language learning, don't let it get you down! I love seeing people learn languages and experience the joy of the hobby. ~ Ben
Ben Adams
2025-11-19 20:52:13 +0000 UTC10,000 hours into meditation from snapping your fingers would be good AND funny
Hazen Harter
2025-11-18 13:51:10 +0000 UTC+1 such a big thing in Australia right now
Nick Fether
2025-11-18 04:02:13 +0000 UTCI live around Baltimore and lemme tell ya, it ain’t much better. For *most* places in the city you’re still paying around $150-170/sq ft. From the houses I’ve toured, a lot need repairs that very much compensate for that price. If you have kids, the schools aren’t great in the areas with that price point as well (pretty low English and math proficiency rates). To live on the outskirts of the city, the price jumps dramatically. I’m well aware I may just be bellyaching and/or looking in the wrong places, but unless ur making ~$70000 annually, it’s p difficult to get approved as a single income household.
Chris Savani
2025-11-18 04:02:04 +0000 UTCI'd like to suggest betting arbitrage as a topic. It sounds like a shady yet legal business, like card counting but you get to keep your kneecaps.
Ben Mules
2025-11-17 20:38:41 +0000 UTCI liked when Aidan got hit by a car but Atrioc and Doug kept going like nothing happened 👍
Garrett Aguilar
2025-11-17 20:01:43 +0000 UTC
